10 Great Music Film Biopics You Have To See

Love & Mercy (2014) is as much a detailed account of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys as it is a deep and insightful look at mental health. Specifically, the film focuses on Wilson, first by looking at his time with the Beach Boys during their recording of Pet Sounds (1966), and then by shifting focus to Wilson during the '80s, as he battles his mental issues and forms a relationship with his future wife Melinda Ledbetter.

Wilson is portrayed in the movie by Paul Dano and John Cusack, who share the role between the changing timelines and both offer a deep portrayal of the renowned musician. They star alongside Paul Giamatti, Wilson's therapist Eugene Landy, a man whose controversial approach to his work forms the emotional centre of Wilson's story.

Love & Mercy includes one of John Cusack's best ever performances, playing Wilson as a passionate but beaten down artist who wants nothing more than to return to the way he once was. Upon seeing the film, Brian Wilson himself massively praised both Dano and Cusack, and (in a rare case of accuracy being applauded) said the picture was very truthful in its portrayal of his life.

A moving and respectful look at the life of a musical icon, Love & Mercy is one of the best biopics of the 2010s, and ticks all the boxes for what makes a great movie.